PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGENTS. 101' 



KOENIGSBERG, November 23, 18G1. 



Sir : I have the honor to apprise you of my return from England,, 

 and the result of my labors in the interest of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution ; but I must first tender my thanks for liaving been enabled to 

 pursuQ the study of American Neuroptera, to be found in English col- 

 lections or described by English entomologists. 



I must say that my harvest was pretty good, for in most cases I 

 was able to remove the doubts left in my preceding work. In the 

 collections of the British Museum, especially, I found the types of 

 species I did not know, and some also in the collection of Mr. West- 

 wood, at Oxford, and Mr. Saunders, in London. I hope that with 

 these new species, received after having sent my manuscript to Wash- 

 ington, I can make a tolerably large supplement. But the extent of 

 this supplement and the comparison of species already described by 

 me will require considerable time. I therefore believe it will be 

 more convenient to have my work published as soon as printed, and 

 to give afterwards the novelties and corrections in a separate supple- 

 ment, which will probably make a pamphlet of about eight to ten 

 sheets. You may rest assured, sir, that I shall endeavor to perform 

 this labor as soon and as well as possible; but since I cannot always 

 dispose of my time, I fear, considering the extent of the labor, that 

 it cannot be done before six months. 



I find that the translation, the first eighteen sheets of which I have 

 seen, is of perfect accuracy. Unfortunately the work itself leaves 

 much to be desired. I must, however, consider it a consolation that 

 for a first attempt I have attained so much, and that my work may 

 serve as assistance to further and more fruitful researches of the 

 entomologists of your country. I would be gratified if my, so imper- 

 fect, labor should call forth numerous rectifications and augmentations 

 from American naturalists. At any rate the interest for the advance- 

 ment of science VnuII always urge me on to make the synopsis better 

 and better. 



I have the honor to remain your devoted, 



H. HAGEN. 



Prof. Henry, dc, dec. 



[The following letter is given as an illustration of a number of a 

 similar character received relative to the distribution of specimens :] 



Hamilton College, X. Y., February 1, 1862. 



Dear Sir : I presume the president of our college has ofticially 

 acknowledged the receipt of the box of shells sent us last month from 

 the Smithsonian Institution. We consider this donation a valuable ad- 

 dition to our collection, and our local papers have given very favorable 

 notices of it. When we arrange the shells in our cabinet we intend 

 to have printed on each ticket '-From the Smithsonian Institution." 



